Lemongrass Couple and Mushroom Schoolboy

Dear Reader,

Do you remember what you wanted to become in class 10? Most of us have dreams, which start taking shape only after High School when we opt for science, arts or commerce streams.

But today’s generation thinks differently. These youngsters understand that employment opportunities are shrinking and the probability of getting a well-paying job is extremely low without excellent grades.

So, after Prabhu Ranjan gave his class 10 exams, he started looking for business ideas that required minimal investment and no prior experience. He discovered mushroom farming, used the materials available at his home and farm, purchased spawns from Gaya (Bihar) and earned Rs45,000 from his first crop.

That was when he was 17 years old.

Today, at 21, he earns Rs18 lakh annually by growing button mushrooms, Prabhu told me. He sells them in Patna and trains people online and offline in mushroom farming. He is also putting up a polyhouse for vegetable farming on a trial basis.

My colleague Riya spoke to Gauri and Dilip Parab, software engineers who quit L&T Infotech to grow lemongrass in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra. They use the organically-grown lemongrass to prepare aromatic oil, soaps and floor cleaners. The products sell online and offline.

The turnover was Rs 30 lakh last fiscal, and the couple has inspired other farmers in Konkan to take up lemongrass farming.

My colleague Niroj spoke to Dr Ramesh C. Biswal, who was a scientist for Clemson University in South Carolina. In 2016, he quit his job to connect farmers in Odisha directly with consumers, weeding out middlemen. His startup Villa Mart now works with over 15,000 farmers, 60 self-help groups, and 50 farmer-producer companies, paying them 20 percent above market rates for their produce.

With 54.6 percent of India's population engaged in agriculture and related activities, it is necessary to modernise the sector and make farming profitable.

Our Sunday feature is on Kapu, the hidden gem in coastal Karnataka. The beach village of Kapu blends natural beauty, culture, and historical charm. The Kapu Lighthouse, built in 1901, offers breathtaking 360-degree views of the coastline, the beach, and the Arabian Sea.

Happy Reading!

Warmly,

Rashmi

Schoolboy starts mushroom farming at 17; reaches Rs 18 lakh annual turnover in 4 years

Engineer couple quits L&T Infotech for lemongrass farming; clocks Rs30 lakh annual turnover

How this scientist built a Rs 12 crore agribusiness by connecting farmers with consumers

Kapu: The hidden coastal gem of Karnataka